First run with the slow n sear

[Michael Richards]

After getting the slow n sear deluxe last week I couldn't think of a better way to try it out then on this beautiful Tri Tip done with a reverse sear.


I wasn't sure how I to do both (low and) slow and sear so this is what I went with.


With two starter squares and hot water I started the slow part, but wanted to leave space for super hot lump to add later to for the sear part.


I got the Tri Tip and some chicken on with nice pecan smoke.


Once the Tri Tip hit 110 I spread out the charcoal and wood and put the red hot lump on top and added some sprouts with spg and bacon grease.



After a few minutes with the kettle was reading at over 550 on the slow and sear side and the Tri Tip went back on. Here is after the first flip.


After about 6 mins of searing here it it off.


First cut.


Close up.


And plated.


I really liked the slow and sear, really nice smoke and more then I thought I would get. I don't know if this was the best way to do a reverse sear with the sns, but I was extremely pleased with how I decided to just go for it. I am open to suggestions if there is a better way or something I missed.

 

[Bruno]

Looks perfect to me!! I think that’s as good a technique as I could come up with. Really makes me want to do a tri-tip!!
Hope you enjoy that thing, for the $59 I think it was a good buy to help keep things interesting on the grill. Nice set up with the 2 kettles!

 

[Michael Richards]

Looks perfect to me!! I think that’s as good a technique as I could come up with. Really makes me want to do a tri-tip!!
Hope you enjoy that thing, for the $59 I think it was a good buy to help keep things interesting on the grill. Nice set up with the 2 kettles!

Bruno,
Yeah, I really did like it, seriously even more than I thought I would or I wanted to. It really does round out my grill arsenal since I got my late father-in-laws kettle back up and running. I also ordered a second vortex and on Saturday night (between rain showers) did two full kettles of wings for the family and my son's buddies before we went to a Haunted House. That was super cool. So with the two kettles and having the slow n sear and the aura kettle zone system, I can do low and slow on both at the same time. With the slow and sear and the charcoal baskets, I have baskets for both at the same time, with the two vortex and the slow n sear searing options are open. Both kettles are rocks SS grates. Man the possibilities are endless! Now, I just need to find the time...

 

[Bruno]

Ahh the time, I’m struggling with that one right now, little kids and a tough job I need to finish by the end of the year leaves no time for the simple pleasures!

 

[Bob H.]

The food looks great!

 

[Darryl - swazies]

Looking good Michael. That piece of beef looks outstanding.
As far as a reverse sear it is the only way I go about it......I like to have mine considerably more red than in your pictures but often it comes out just like yours looks. Watching the temp closer to 100 helps me achieve this.......around 100 I leave the beef on but take the lid off and build the fire very hot.....this takes maybe 10 minutes to get what I like and then the sear.....sometimes its so hot I can only sear about 1 minute pre side.
I have been using JD lump and sometimes the fire is so hot I cannot believe it, like it seems to burn the meat almost after 1 minute...lots of turning required. Now I move it back to the other side and if it reads anything under 120 I am a happy customer. Now the fire is really hot and the lid id back on......minutes....2 maybe 3 and that temp will read 5 to 10 degrees hotter, you really have to watch it.
I like to try and take it off about 124 to 126 if I can catch it on time....resting for 5 to 10 minutes increase the temp by 5 degrees,
Searching my posts will reveal a lot of picahna cooks and a few of them are perfectly rare. I compare the picahna to the tri tip as we don't have tri tips around here and they basically are the same size and shape....usually no more than 3 pounds.

I have been using my SNS for about a year now and to be honest I don't use that water separator very often.
You will try with and without and see for yourself I am sure. I started a small fire for smoked salmon this past weekend and added wood to it too, kept the bottom vent closed and the top open. Tossed in the grate thermo and let her go. As long as I didn't look or open the lid it was 225 - 228 and this was in the SNS with no water separator. Of course by the time I got the fish on and made sure everything was prefect the grate thermo was reading 252 up and down a few. I was still happy with this, I got enough smoke and the cook went perfect.
Now with the water reservoir............I only tend to use this when I want as low as possible and smoking for more than 4 hours.
Basically when I am too lazy to get the E6 all fired up and I have a smaller brisket or shoulder or similar.
I tend to look more on this cook, checking coals, water and the meat ect......so it's harder to keep the temp down.
I can get it to hold around or below the 250 mark with a bit of work. At that temp the water seems to last between 2.5 hours to 4 hours.....it always seems different and I gave up trying to figure it out other than the fire temp differences. Letting it run dry really seems to be not good, I have added water to it dry before and I didn't like it. I thought I read somewhere there was ways to warp either the SNS or the water reservoir by doing something like that, so best avoided.
Just a few tidbits of info that I found from using it. The SNS basically never leaves the performer.....rotisserie not included. It really just makes for insane quick easy clean up too.....I pull the basket out, dump it in a chimney, shake the snot out of it and continue....the kettle should be 90% clean or better at this point.
I bought an SNS for my 18 JJ traveler I liked it so much....that was a hard purchase. JJ =$90 SNS for it = $65
I also want one for my E6 when they become available but scared of the price...the baby baskets do okay in there for now.

Bruno,
Yeah, I really did like it, seriously even more than I thought I would or I wanted to. It really does round out my grill arsenal since I got my late father-in-laws kettle back up and running. I also ordered a second vortex and on Saturday night (between rain showers) did two full kettles of wings for the family and my son's buddies before we went to a Haunted House. That was super cool. So with the two kettles and having the slow n sear and the aura kettle zone system, I can do low and slow on both at the same time. With the slow and sear and the charcoal baskets, I have baskets for both at the same time, with the two vortex and the slow n sear searing options are open. Both kettles are rocks SS grates. Man the possibilities are endless! Now, I just need to find the time...

 

[Karl Quist]

Outstanding Michael! Tri-tip is the only cut that I reverse sear. For whatever reason, it just works with that cut, especially a really nicely marbled one like you had. Glad to see the brussels sprouts on the grill too. Love them cooked that way.

Fantastic meal you put together.

 

[Michael Richards]

Looking good Michael. That piece of beef looks outstanding.
As far as a reverse sear it is the only way I go about it......I like to have mine considerably more red than in your pictures but often it comes out just like yours looks. Watching the temp closer to 100 helps me achieve this.......around 100 I leave the beef on but take the lid off and build the fire very hot.....this takes maybe 10 minutes to get what I like and then the sear.....sometimes its so hot I can only sear about 1 minute pre side.
I have been using JD lump and sometimes the fire is so hot I cannot believe it, like it seems to burn the meat almost after 1 minute...lots of turning required. Now I move it back to the other side and if it reads anything under 120 I am a happy customer. Now the fire is really hot and the lid id back on......minutes....2 maybe 3 and that temp will read 5 to 10 degrees hotter, you really have to watch it.
I like to try and take it off about 124 to 126 if I can catch it on time....resting for 5 to 10 minutes increase the temp by 5 degrees,
Searching my posts will reveal a lot of picahna cooks and a few of them are perfectly rare. I compare the picahna to the tri tip as we don't have tri tips around here and they basically are the same size and shape....usually no more than 3 pounds.

I have been using my SNS for about a year now and to be honest I don't use that water separator very often.
You will try with and without and see for yourself I am sure. I started a small fire for smoked salmon this past weekend and added wood to it too, kept the bottom vent closed and the top open. Tossed in the grate thermo and let her go. As long as I didn't look or open the lid it was 225 - 228 and this was in the SNS with no water separator. Of course by the time I got the fish on and made sure everything was prefect the grate thermo was reading 252 up and down a few. I was still happy with this, I got enough smoke and the cook went perfect.
Now with the water reservoir............I only tend to use this when I want as low as possible and smoking for more than 4 hours.
Basically when I am too lazy to get the E6 all fired up and I have a smaller brisket or shoulder or similar.
I tend to look more on this cook, checking coals, water and the meat ect......so it's harder to keep the temp down.
I can get it to hold around or below the 250 mark with a bit of work. At that temp the water seems to last between 2.5 hours to 4 hours.....it always seems different and I gave up trying to figure it out other than the fire temp differences. Letting it run dry really seems to be not good, I have added water to it dry before and I didn't like it. I thought I read somewhere there was ways to warp either the SNS or the water reservoir by doing something like that, so best avoided.
Just a few tidbits of info that I found from using it. The SNS basically never leaves the performer.....rotisserie not included. It really just makes for insane quick easy clean up too.....I pull the basket out, dump it in a chimney, shake the snot out of it and continue....the kettle should be 90% clean or better at this point.
I bought an SNS for my 18 JJ traveler I liked it so much....that was a hard purchase. JJ =$90 SNS for it = $65
I also want one for my E6 when they become available but scared of the price...the baby baskets do okay in there for now.

Darryl,

I knew you would comment on the doneness. I did not mention it in the main post, but my youngest has been really looking forward to this tri-tip cook since I picked it up. She likes when I pull it from the hot fire between 133 and 135 so for her that is what I did. She was so happy with me, she even said she thought I was going to leave it "raw" because I was going to post it here. She decided that when she really wants to help me eat the beef I am cooking she will let me know and I will cook it to 133 for her and I, if she is not too sure if she wants it, she will let me know so I can pull it a few degree earlier.

As for the details about the SNS thanks, that is some really good info to take in. EricV posted a video of a reverse sear tri tip with the SNS. It was really similar to the process I followed, but they pulled the water reservoir out before the sear. Once I saw that I thought that it was a no-brainer and something that I will do next time, maybe on the Picahna I have in the freezer. When I started with the WSM I always used water, until the first time I didn't and I never went back, so I could see a similar progression with the SNS.

 

[Michael Richards]

Outstanding Michael! Tri-tip is the only cut that I reverse sear. For whatever reason, it just works with that cut, especially a really nicely marbled one like you had. Glad to see the brussels sprouts on the grill too. Love them cooked that way.

Fantastic meal you put together.

I love all veggies on the grill, but sprout and asparagus are my favorite. Those were some the easiest, mildest sprouts I have ever made. I tossed them in some warmed up bacon grease (that I store in the frig) and added some simple all purpose rub and they were so good. That Tri-Tip with the amazing marbling did not disappoint. It was marked as choice, but it was the best, most tender Tri-Tip I have even had, even better then the Prime Tri-Tip my family ordered me for father's day.

 

[Bruno]

Sprouts and asparagus on the grill are awesome!

 

[DanHoo]

My youngest has been really looking forward to this tri-tip cook since I picked it up. She likes when I pull it from the hot fire between 133 and 135 so for her that is what I did. She was so happy with me, she even said she thought I was going to leave it "raw" because I was going to post it here. She decided that when she really wants to help me eat the beef I am cooking she will let me know and I will cook it to 133 for her and I, if she is not too sure if she wants it, she will let me know so I can pull it a few degree earlier.

Michael, Good for you working to handle the different doneness.

Here is an unsolicited suggestion, should you choose to try it.

I also reverse sear tri tip. I pull it at 120F internal, let it rest for a few mins while the grill is cranking up heat.

I then cut the tri tip along the seam giving me a narrower end and a wider end.

When I have guests that want med, or med-well I sear the narrow end a bit harder, and can often sear it on the edges as well as each side.

Cutting it at the seam also helps me do finishing cuts across the grain.

Hope this makes sense, and that cook looks tasty.

 

[Darryl - swazies]

Darryl,

I knew you would comment on the doneness. I did not mention it in the main post, but my youngest has been really looking forward to this tri-tip cook since I picked it up. She likes when I pull it from the hot fire between 133 and 135 so for her that is what I did. She was so happy with me, she even said she thought I was going to leave it "raw" because I was going to post it here. She decided that when she really wants to help me eat the beef I am cooking she will let me know and I will cook it to 133 for her and I, if she is not too sure if she wants it, she will let me know so I can pull it a few degree earlier.

As for the details about the SNS thanks, that is some really good info to take in. EricV posted a video of a reverse sear tri tip with the SNS. It was really similar to the process I followed, but they pulled the water reservoir out before the sear. Once I saw that I thought that it was a no-brainer and something that I will do next time, maybe on the Picahna I have in the freezer. When I started with the WSM I always used water, until the first time I didn't and I never went back, so I could see a similar progression with the SNS.

Once you give the SNS a few runs with water and without you will see where I was going with that.
As far as your doneness I wasn't trying to nit pick it being 5 to 10 degrees over.....Just basically I try for less and sometimes it comes out perfect and sometimes it comes out less red...it happens. The big point there was I find it okay to sear maybe a little bit pre maturely. At that point you have got what you want and maybe it just needs to be 2 or 3 degrees warmer......and with that hot fire it comes really fast......and to be careful, it goes faster than you may think.
Also from my experiences the cut of meat is not the same thickness in all areas....it is possible to keep the edges a bit more cooked and the middle more red...also takes a bit more work but then you can serve the youngins the more cooked area and the adults who like it red the more middle area.

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

Nicely done sir! Just picked up tri tip the other day, what you’ve done makes me really want to try another one or two.

 

[Michael Richards]

Michael, Good for you working to handle the different doneness.

Here is an unsolicited suggestion, should you choose to try it.

I also reverse sear tri tip. I pull it at 120F internal, let it rest for a few mins while the grill is cranking up heat.

I then cut the tri tip along the seam giving me a narrower end and a wider end.

When I have guests that want med, or med-well I sear the narrow end a bit harder, and can often sear it on the edges as well as each side.

Cutting it at the seam also helps me do finishing cuts across the grain.

Hope this makes sense, and that cook looks tasty.

Brilliant!!!

 

[Bruno]

The joys of being a dad! Amazing what we will do for these little folks. I’ve eaten a lot of burnt BBQ giving the family the good stuff! Hahahaha it’s made me up my game to avoid that!!

 

[Michael Richards]

The joys of being a dad! Amazing what we will do for these little folks. I’ve eaten a lot of burnt BBQ giving the family the good stuff! Hahahaha it’s made me up my game to avoid that!!

That was the best part last night she took the redest pieces and I was like no these are the ones you want, nope!

 

[DanHoo]

Another "trick" I've done is slice it rare and do a 15 second sear on some of the rare slices in a cast iron pan. Just enough so they look medium well.

 

[ChuckO]

Nice cook Michael, TT looks very tasty

 

[CaseT]

Nice looking cook. Made me add a Tri tip to my grocery order!